


Our Promise

by Jakebroe



Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Game (vanilla), Ryuann, shumako, yutaba - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:54:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26206003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jakebroe/pseuds/Jakebroe
Summary: Ren is treated to one last night with his friends before going back home. He takes the opportunity to spend as much time with his girlfriend as possible and make a promise that they'll never break.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kitagawa Yusuke/Sakura Futaba, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist, Sakamoto Ryuji/Takamaki Ann
Kudos: 52





	1. Chapter 1

Ren finally felt free. As he stuck his head out of the moving van he and his friends were in, he finally felt as if he didn't have to hide anymore, he was free at last. When he came back inside the van, he smiled and looked around at his friends. When he first got to Tokyo, he never expected to make any friends, let alone have a group of them. 

As they took an unfamiliar exit, he looked at Makoto, who was driving, and asked, "Where are we going? The exit was still further ahead." 

"We're taking a slight detour," she said. Ren was never one to question his girlfriend, so he just turned his head back to the window to watch the scenery go by. 

After a while, he started to notice seafood restaurants and board rental shops along the street. That's when it hit; they were going to the beach. Ren got back up, stuck his head back out of the sunroof, and took in the cool, salty air, as they neared the beach. After they finally were able to find a spot on the sand that wasn’t crowded, they all went to change into their swimsuits, leaving Morgana to watch their stuff, which he, himself, wanted to do to “Prove how fierce I can be.” When Ren came out, everyone else was already waiting. He saw that Futaba was acting rather strange. He looked around, then realized she was blushing because she realized how surprisingly fit Yusuke was, and she couldn't stop looking. When she finally found the courage to come out from behind Ren, she immediately went next to Yusuke and held his arm. 

The group then laid out their plan for the day. It included frisbee, volleyball, surfing (at least trying to), followed by free time for them to choose whatever they wanted. The girls had fun beating the guys at volleyball, while nobody could figure out how to keep the frisbee from flying over their heads. When it came time for surfing, Ryuji and Ren were doing pretty well, but fell whenever they tried to do anything other than riding the wave. Makoto and Ann opted to sit and watch their boyfriends try to impress them, and Futaba was trying to keep Yusuke from getting his fingers broken from holding the crabs he found on the shore. 

After a fun afternoon, when their free time came, Ren and Ryuji grabbed a bite to eat at a food stand. "So, you got any plans for your future," Ryuji asked, "I mean, do you know what you want to do when you graduate?" 

This was a question that, up until recently, Ren had no answer for, but he had one now. "I want to be a politician," he replied. "After seeing how many awful adults there are, I want to be the voice that stands against them and fights for what is right." 

"Wow, that's awesome!" Ryuji said, a huge smile on his face. "No, really, that's so cool!" "What about you?" asked Ren, smiling humbly, "Do you know what you want to do?" 

Ryuji took a moment to think, then said, "Honestly, I want to be a trainer. Like, I know I can't be a top athlete anymore, ya know, with my leg, but I still think I can work with the kids that can be those stars, ya know? I want to help them overcome their struggles and push to be even better than they thought they could be." 

Ren looked at his best friend, a bit surprised. Sure, he'd noticed how Ryuji had become more mature over the year that they've known each other, but that was more than even he thought. "That's amazing. I think you'd be perfect for that." Ren continued, "Even with your leg, I was impressed at how fast you could run on Shido's ship, when we were about to sink." 

Ryuji laughed and held his neck, "Thanks. That really means a lot. I guess all of those training sessions we had really worked, then, huh?" 

The two friends talked for a bit longer, until they finished their meals and decided to go back to their spot on the beach. When they had arrived, they saw Makoto and Ann sitting under the umbrella, talking. 

The boys sat next to their girlfriends and asked what they were talking about. "We were just talking about what we were planning on doing after school," Makoto said. 

"Yeah, Makoto said she plans on going through with becoming a police officer. She wants to stop the criminals that harass and harm the citizens." Ann said. 

"I can see you doing that," said Ryuji. "You're such a badass, that I can't see anyone wanting to break the law with you around." 

Makoto laughed and said, "Thanks, but I don't think they'd be too terrified of me, by myself. Ann, didn't you mention wanting to keep modeling?" 

"Yeah!" Ann replied, "I still want to keep modeling. I feel like I've got the potential to become famous one day, if I can put forward the effort, which I'm totally ready to do!" Her energy made Ryuji smile. He was so proud of his girlfriend and how confident she had become in herself since the spring. 

As the couples sat there, admiring the landscape, Ren looked around, then asked, "Where are Futaba and Yusuke?" 

"Oh, they're over at the seafood restaurant," Makoto answered, "Yusuke wanted to treat her to some 'real seafood' whatever that means. Mona heard seafood and went with them." 

Ren smiled and rolled his eyes. He was proud of Yusuke for being a good boyfriend for Futaba, but a small part of him was still concerned for them. But, he thought, if Makoto’s not too worried, then they must be fine. 

Just at that moment, Haru called Makoto, who was told to put the call on speakerphone. 

"Ren?" she asked. 

"Yeah? Is everything alright?" Ren said. 

"Absolutely. Actually, part of our surprise for you is that we're spending the night here, as well." 

Ren looked, shocked, at the others, who smiled back, "Really?" Ren asked, still trying to comprehend what she just said. "How did you arrange for that?" 

Haru answered, "My family has a timeshare on the beach, and I was able to reserve it for tonight. I hope that's alright with you." 

Ren sat there, still shocked. He really had the best friends in the world, he thought. "I think it is. I just have to let my mother know," he said. 

"Good, I'll call you when everything is set up," Haru said, sounding very happy. 

"Thanks again, Haru. Are you su-" before Makoto could ask about helping, Haru had hung up. 

"Wow, it's getting a bit chilly," Ann said, holding her arms, "I'm gonna go change. How about you?" she asked Makoto. 

"I might get changed, too. We'll be right back." She gave Ren a peck on the check before heading off with Ann to find a place to change. 

Ryuji looked back at the girls and said, "Dang, we really got lucky. Don't ya think?" he asked. "What do you mean?" Ren responded. Ryuji replied, "I mean, yeah, we lucked out with their looks, but they're so strong and confident, beyond their looks." 

Ren looked back at Makoto and nodded, "Yeah, I guess you could say that," he smiled. He was still surprised at Ryuji. In the Spring, he'd assume Ryuji would make a comment about their bodies, but his friend had become so mature, which he was proud of him for. 

When the girls got back, Ann wrapped herself around her boyfriend and sat behind him, leaning her head on his shoulder, while Makoto, never much for big public displays of affection, sat down close to Ren. He then pulled her closer, so she could rest her head on his shoulder while he put his arm around her. 

"Oooh, look at the lovebirds," Futaba teased. She and Yusuke had just returned from their own walk on the beach. 

"You wanna join us?" Ren asked back, with a smile, gesturing to an empty space in between the couples. 

"Nah," she responded, "We're going to check in with Haru. Mona went to see her after he said we were taking too long on the beach. Besides, this big twig would just squeeze me until I pop." 

"Who're you calling a twig?" Yusuke asked, acting offended. Futaba giggled and ran away, making Yusuke chase after her. 

The two couples laughed as they watched the other two run behind them. The sun had started to set, which meant it got colder. Ann and Ryuji opted to see Haru, since she had texted them the address where they'd be staying. 

"You comin'?" Ryuji asked. 

"Yeah, in a bit." Ren said, not breaking his gaze from the beautiful horizon. 

“Come on, Ryuji, I’m getting cold,” Ann said, already holding her belongings. The two walked off together, taking their stuff with them, and left Ren and Makoto by themselves. 

"This is so beautiful," Makoto said of the sunset, the crimson sky turning to orange as it furthered from the horizon. 

"Not as beautiful as you," Ren said, without missing a beat. 

"Oh, you," she said, playfully shoving him. "I wish time would just stop right here, just for us." she said. To them, it was perfect. Ren broke his gaze at the horizon to look at Makoto, who looked back at him. The two shared a kiss, before she rested her head on his shoulder, and his head on hers. They didn't need much to be happy, just each other's company, but a sunset like this didn't hurt. 

When it got to be dark, Ren and Makoto grabbed their stuff, and walked to the beach house that Haru had reserved. When they walked in, everyone was already in their rooms, except for Haru. She waited for them to arrive, so she could give them a gift. She held boxes that were black, one having red trim and the other, blue. 

"I just wanted to give you these to say thank you for everything,” she said. 

"Haru." Makoto said. "You don't have to do this." 

"I know, but I want to." she replied. "You two have helped me become my own person and a stronger one, at that.” When they opened the boxes, there were necklaces that had two small gemstones; one sapphire and the other ruby. 

“Oh, my goodness,” Makoto said, shocked at the generous gift. “Haru, we can’t accept these, this is too much!” Ren stood there, almost about to tear up at the thoughtful gift. 

“What you did to help me find out who I really am is worth so much more than those. I wanted to at least try to repay you for that,” Haru replied. Makoto and Ren looked at each other, almost about to cry, then hugged Haru and thanked her for the gift. After they had finally calmed down, Haru told them where their room was, saying, 

"The only thing that they asked, is that it's quiet tonight." 

Ren looked at his girlfriend mischievously, which earned him a gentle smack. "We'll be quiet," she replied. The two thanked her again, then went upstairs to their room 

The couple made their way to their room and dropped their bags. Ren got into bed after a quick shower and started reading. After Makoto finished her shower, she walked into the bedroom wrapped in a towel. Ren stole a glance at her. Sure, it wasn't the first time he'd seen her with such little covering her, but he still smiled at the sight of his girlfriend as she got into her underwear, then her pajamas. 

"I saw you looking." She said, giggling. 

"How can I not? you're gorgeous." 

She blushed. "Oh, come on." 

"I mean it," Ren replied. "You're perfect." 

She smiled, put her head on his chest and smiled. Hearing him say that made her so happy. He ran his fingers through her dark hair, then looked at Haru’s gift on the side table and smiled. The colors reminded him of their Phantom Thieves missions. He immediately thought back Makoto’s awakening to Johanna, making him shiver just like he did then. He thought of them “dating” when she was worried for Eiko. Finally, recalled when he offered to be her “study partner”. He still had no idea where that line came from, but he smiled when he snapped back to the present and saw the same beautiful brunette laying on his chest, her arm wrapped around him. He gave her a peck on her head before turning off his light to go to sleep. 

"I love you, Ren," she said, in the dark. 

"I love you, too, Mako,” he responded. The two fell asleep in each other's embrace, wishing tomorrow wouldn't come, so they could stay that way forever. 

When Makoto woke up, Ren was not with her. Immediately, she looked around for him, but didn't see him. She could smell him, though. The smell of coffee downstairs was all too familiar to her, and she jumped out of bed, got dressed, and went down to see him. She was the last one to wake up, so she was met by everyone else at the table. 

"Ahh, look who's up!" Ren said, jokingly. 

"Good morning everyone," she said. 

She gave him a peck on the cheek before taking her place at the table. Ren had insisted on making one last meal for everyone. His curry and coffee were almost on par with Sojiro's, so it wasn't like he didn't know what he was doing. When he finally gave everyone a plate, he sat down next to Makoto and started to eat. 

"I'd like to propose a toast," Makoto said, raising her glass, "To Ren. Without him, I can’t imagine we’d be together like this. He's helped change our lives for the better... I know he's definitely changed mine." Ren looked at her, a smile on his face, as they clinked their glasses together. 

When they had finished their meal, everyone cleaned up, packed everything, and were ready to get back on the road, to bring Ren home. 

"Where are the keys?" asked Makoto. 

I have them," Haru responded, with a stern face and a smile. "I want you and Ren to spend as much time together as you can." 

Makoto wanted to object, but she knew that Haru was not going to take "no" for an answer. Ren and Makoto sat together in the back, Ren's arm around her, as they drove off. He looked out the window from time to time, but most of his time was spent hugging and cuddling with Makoto as best he could in such a small space. 

As time went on, the two grew tired, but neither wanted to miss a moment with the other. They looked at their matching necklaces. Ren noticed something peculiar about them. Upon closer inspection of the silver back, he noticed that they weren’t just necklaces, but lockets. The inside of which was empty. One side held an empty frame, while the other was a bare piece of metal, that was intended to be engraved. They looked at each other lovingly, then promised to send their favorite picture to the other, then have their codenames engraved across from it. Eventually, the road became so smooth and straight, the two fell asleep in each other's arms. Makoto's head resting on Ren's shoulder, and Ren's, on Makoto's head. 

When they had arrived at his house, he and Makoto were woken up by a quiet, "Aww" from Ann. The two looked around and Ren recognized the house they were in front of; it was his parents’ house. The two looked at each other, nodded, then got out. They walked to the door and stopped to face each other. They had talked about doing this before, but not in front of the others. They nodded at each other, then each reached into their pockets. Ren pulled out a black box. 

Do you remember why I wore those fake glasses?" he asked. "I wore them because I needed to hide my face from a public that would shun me. I had to hide myself so I wouldn't get hurt. Now that I have you, I don't need to hide myself. You are all I need. You are my mask." 

He opened the box to a rugged, black ring. "I know it's not pretty," he said, "but I had Iwai make this ring from those same glasses. From now on, I will always be with you, because you are my mask. I promise to be with you, even when we’re apart." Makoto was tearing up as he placed the ring on her right ring finger and hugged him. 

When she finally regained her composure, she said, "Ren, you remind me a lot of my father. Your determination to fight for what's right and to fix any wrongs is exactly what he did. He would be proud to have met you. I know I am," she said, her face still red from the emotion. 

She opened her box to a shiny ring on a chain. "I know it's not flashy or sentimental for us, per say, but it means a lot to me. My father gave me this when I was a little girl. He made me promise that I wouldn’t take it off the chain until I found someone who I truly loved and I knew loved me. I promise to be by your side, no matter what.” Ren was choking up. She took the ring off the chain and slipped it onto his right ring finger. It was a perfect fit, almost as if it was meant to be. They embraced each other and held each other close. 

"I love you Ren," Makoto said, tears running down her face. 

"I love you, too Mako," Ren replied, trying not to cry too much. 

They shared a long, deep kiss before another strong hug that neither wanted to end. After a while, they both agreed to release. Makoto looked back at her boyfriend, hoping they didn’t have to part, then went back to the van before she could even try to embrace him again, holding the hand with the ring close to hear heart. She got in, and immediately went to the window to see him as they drove off. Ann immediately got in the back with her, to comfort her. Ren looked back at the van, trying not to cry too much as he saw his friends drive away, waving and saying goodbye. When he could no longer see them, Ren took a deep breath to regain his composure, grabbed his belongings, opened the door, and went inside.  
( _To be continued...)_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren is finally home after his year long probation. He opens the door, not knowing what to expect, but is stunned when he hears something he wasn't prepared to hear.

After watching his friends drive away, Ren took a deep breath, opened the door to his house, and entered. His mother was sitting at the table, but got up when she saw him walk in. 

She gave him a big hug and said, "Welcome home, Ren. I missed you."

"I missed you too, Mom," he replied. He looked around the room, but couldn't find any sign of his father. When Ren asked where he was, his mother's smile quickly faded.

"Sit down," she said. After taking a seat at the small, round table, Ren was expecting to hear the worst, but he wasn't expecting to hear what his mother was about to say. "After you left for Tokyo to serve your probation, your father became very annoyed and impatient. He started drinking and yelling a lot."

Ren was furious, but more concerned for his mother. "Did he hurt you at all?" he asked, worried.

"No, but about a week after you had gone... he packed up his things and left."

Ren wasn't just furious anymore; he was pissed off. How could his father leave his mother alone, when she had nobody else to help her? "He WHAT?" He asked, his voice going from concerned to angry.

She recalled what happened a week after Ren had left.

Ren's face became white after hearing what had happened. "Mom, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," she replied. "I've been able to support myself in the meantime and some of the neighbors helped, too. I wanted to contact you, but I didn’t want you to feel to blame, so I only contacted Sakura-San and had him update me on your parole. I heard nothing but good things from him, which kept my spirits up while you weren’t here.”

Ren immediately got up to hugged his mother, tears starting to run down his face. "I love you, Mom," he said, crying.

"I love you, too," she replied, running her hand through his frizzy hair. After Ren had released himself from his mother and wiped his eyes, she said, "You must have a lot to unpack. Go ahead upstairs and I'll start making dinner." Ren grabbed his belongings and almost ran up to his room. He threw his bags on his bed and immediately texted Makoto

"Hey, Mako."

"Ren! Are you alright? How's everything?"

"I'm alright. Mom seemed to really miss me."

"That's so sweet. What about your dad? What did he say?"

Ren took a moment before he sent the text.

"He's not here... He left us."

" Oh, my goodness! I am so sorry, Ren."

"It really hurt to hear her say that."

"I can imagine. How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got punched in the gut."

Makoto sat there, thinking about what she should do

"Honey, I can't do anything right now, but I'll be there tomorrow morning."

"You don't have to do that. Besides, it's not like you travel out here normally."

"I don't care. We made a promise before I got back in the van. I will always be there to support you, especially when you need me the most."

"Thank you, Makoto." He knew that she wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer.

"I'll be over as soon as I can. I love you, Ren."

"I love you, too."

Ren shut off his phone and laid on his bed for a while before his mom had called for him to help set up for dinner. He was finally able to contemplate what had happened.

When they had finally sat down, she asked, "So, tell me. How was it in Tokyo? It must've been hard... going there with a record."

"It was, at first," he replied. "But I made some friends there."

His mother's face lit up, "Really? That's fantastic!"

"It was," he responded, starting to smile. He told them about everyone he had met, leaving their Phantom Thieves business out of it. When he got to talking about Makoto, Ren found himself rambling on and on.

His mother said, "Wow, she sounds like a wonderful person."

"Yeah," he smiled, "she is. That's why she's my girlfriend."

His mother put her food down. She was stunned. She hadn't thought that someone could find a girlfriend or boyfriend after only a year of being somewhere. "That's wonderful, honey. I'm happy for you."

Ren was relieved, he didn't know how his mother would take such news. "She's planning on coming over in the morning, if that's alright."

Ren's mom was understandably surprised by that. "That's perfectly fine," she replied, after a quick moment, smiling. "I'd love to meet her." Ren breathed another sigh of relief. That was best scenario that he could've wished for. The two continued to talk about the past year. As he was helping clean up, Makoto texted him. 

"Would it be alright if I stayed for a few days? I don't want to intrude."

Ren asked his mother if she could stay over. After giving it a thought, she said, "She's more than welcome to stay. As long as you two keep it quiet."

"Mom!" Ren said,  embarrassed. She giggled as she put the dishes away, after Ren had washed and dried them.

"She said yes."

"Perfect! I'll get packing. I love you, Ren."

"I love you, too, Mako."

After Ren had helped clean everything, he went upstairs. He unpacked his things and sat at his desk. He got a pen and paper out. He started to write, "Dear Dad..." The rest of the letter was him letting out his anger at how his father was so selfish as to leave his family behind, especially when his mother had nobody else. After 20 minutes, he looked at the clock; it was almost 11 pm. He sent a goodnight text to Makoto, then went to bed. 

The next morning, Ren woke up before his mother, so started to make coffee, almost by habit.

When she came downstairs, she was surprised and asked, "Where did you learn to make coffee?"

He responded, "Sakura-San taught me how, in exchange for helping around his cafe."

"How kind of him," she said, "No wonder that Makoto of yours fell for you," she said as she smiled and took a sip. Her face lit up; it was just the way she liked it. 

Right as Ren was about to put the press away, the doorbell rang. He opened the door, to see Makoto standing there with  Sae behind her. The couple immediately embraced one another.  Sae subtly reminded Makoto that she needed to be back in Tokyo for work, so, after being permitted to enter, the sisters took their shoes off and introduced themselves to Ren's mother.

"My name is  Sae Niijima , defense attorney. It's nice to meet you, Amamiya-San" she said, bowing.

"Ah, yes, I've heard about you from Ren," his mother said, joyfully. "That must mean you are Makoto, then. Very nice to see you, dear."

"Thank you, Amamiya-San," Makoto said, bowing as well.

"You're even more beautiful than I imagined. Ren really lucked out with you," his mother replied, a smile on her face.

Makoto blushed, "Th-thank you, ma'am. You're too kind."

Sae interjected, "I'm so sorry to run, but I must be getting to work."

“So soon?” his mother asked. “At least let Ren make you a cup of coffee before you go.”   
Sae said, “Thank you, but I must decline. I have a lot of work I must take care of.”   
"I understand. Please, take care," Ren's mother said. As Sae had left, Ren made Makoto a cup of coffee, just how she liked it, and took her bags upstairs while she got to know his mother.

"I don't mean to seem to nosy, but Ren told me about what happened. I'm so sorry." Makoto said, an empathetic look on her face.

"Thank you, dear, that's very kind of you,” his mother replied. "Frankly, I'm glad that Ren has found someone that cares so much about him." She continued, "From what I've heard, you two are perfect for each other."

Makoto blushed, "Thank you. If there's anything I can do to help at all, please let me know." Ren's mom smiled.

Ren came downstairs to see the two of them chatting. "Is everything alright?" he asked.

"We could use another cup of coffee," his mother said, with a grin.

"Coming right up," Ren said, with a smile.

When Ren came back with the cups, the women were on the couch looking through a photo album of his baby pictures. Ren, his face beet red from embarrassment, gave them the cups and tried to walk back to the kitchen, before being summoned by his girlfriend.

"You were so cute as a baby! Look, you even had a little  Buchimaru-kun suit!" Makoto said, smiling and pointing to a picture of Ren as a baby where he, indeed, did have a panda costume on.

Ren was still embarrassed that his mother was doing this to him, but the smile on his girlfriend's face was enough to make it better. He sat down with them and looked through the album with them. After much more embarrassment from his mom, Ren’s face became blank as he saw a picture of him with both of his parents, the family smiling happily together. He was immediately reminded of his father's abandonment. Without warning, Ren got up, ran to his room, and slammed the door. His mother immediately followed him, but couldn’t get him to answer.

“He’s very upset. I’ve never seen him like this,” she said to Makoto, distraught. “Maybe he’ll open up to you.”   
Makoto nodded and thanked her as she walked back downstairs.

"Ren?" Makoto said, knocking gently on his door, "Are you alright?"

After a minute without an answer, she slowly opened the door and saw Ren sitting at his desk, writing on a piece of paper. 

She quietly closed the door, walked over to him, bent her knees to get on eye level with him, put a hand on his shoulder, and said, "Is everything alright?" She could feel his heavy breathing under her hand. She looked at the paper and saw what he was writing. "Is this about your father?" she asked quietly. He nodded his head as he slammed the pen down and put his head in his hands. She looked at the paper; it was filled with swearing and cursing.

"Honey, this isn't going to help," she said, concerned. "All of this writing is out of anger, not from your heart."

"M-m-my heart," he said, uneasily, "is f-filled with anger right now."

"I know, I know," Makoto said, slowly rubbing his back. She brought him over to his bed, held him in her arms, and said, "I'm here for you. You can cry all you need." She pulled him close as he sobbed into his hands and consoled him.

"Can you look at me?" she asked. Ren took a minute to stop crying and looked at her, just to turn away again. She took her hand, placed it on his cheek, and faced him towards her.

"I must look so weak right now," he said, pulling his face away from hers. "I can defeat a god, but I can't overcome my own emotions."

"Ren," Makoto said, a concerned look on her face. "You're not weak. Even then, it  doesn't matter to me whether  you're strong or weak; what matters is that  you're able to communicate to me when  you're not doing well. Remember what I told you? I want us to be equals. You can lean on me and I can lean on you." Ren caught his breath and stopped for a moment.

"I-I feel so helpless," he said, still not with an easy breath, "I feel like I've failed." 

“Look at me,” she demanded. “You haven't failed,” she said, holding his face so she could look into his still soaked eyes. "You did nothing wrong." She pulled him into her shoulder, "It's not your fault he left. What you did originally was the right thing, sticking up for that woman. We already proved that you were innocent."

"I- I know, but-" he said.

"No 'buts'," she said, quickly. "You didn't do anything wrong." She embraced him as he quietly sobbed into her shoulder. "You're not alone. I'm here with you. I love you, Ren."

"I love... you too," he said, still sobbing. She started rubbing his back while he cried, letting him release his emotions to her.

When Ren stopped crying, he wiped his face with a tissue, hugged Makoto tightly and said, "Makoto, please... don't go anywhere. I can't afford to have someone else leave me right now."

"Don't worry,” she said. “I'll be here as long as you need." 

His mom entered the room, saw the two embracing each other and left a glass of water and a note on the desk. Makoto smiled and quietly thanked her as she smiled and left the room. Makoto gave him the glass told him to drink some water. As he took a sip, he read the note from his mother, which read, 

_ "Ren, I know you're feeling sad and angry. Trust me, when I wasn't happy when it happened. But now, I've moved on. I want to continue to living on, without thinking of what could've been. This is what we have now, and I'm happy with it, even if it's just you and me. I love you, Ren. I always will.” _

After reading the note, he smiled. Makoto was relieved to see his smile again. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, pulled him close and asked, “Are you alright now?”

After a moment, he said, "I think so. Thank you, Mako. I love you”

She kissed his head and said, "I love you, too, honey."

The two sat there, embracing one another until dinner was ready. Knowing how stressful the day was for Ren, they had takeout that night. When it came time for bed, Makoto got beside Ren and wrapped her arms around him. He smiled after feeling her warm and familiar embrace, as well as the fabric from his dark gray night shirt, which she was wearing. Ren looked at her hand and saw the ring he gave her on her finger. He looked at the ring that she gave him and smiled. He felt like so much better, knowing that he had someone to lean on when he needed it. He finally felt unafraid and not alone.

"Goodnight, Ren," she said, squeezing him a bit.

"Goodnight, Mako," he replied, smiling.


	3. Chapter 3

When she woke up, Makoto heard the familiar sounds of clinking silverware and glasses from downstairs. She took a shower, got dressed, then made her way downstairs. When she made her way to the kitchen, she was greeted by both Ren, who was at the counter, preparing breakfast, and his mother, who was enjoying a cup of coffee at the table. Makoto gave Ren a kiss on his cheek, then took her place at the table, with her own cup of coffee. As Ren placed their food in front of them, his mother complimented the aroma, which made him smile. The three of them sat and enjoyed their meal together, talking about their plans for the day.

“Do you have anything you need done around the house, Amamiya-san? Makoto asked.

“Not anything I can think of, dear. Thank you for asking,” replied Ren’s mother. “I do have to run a few errands, though, so you two will be on your own for a while.”

“We could do them for you,” Makoto said. “Ren and I were going to pick up some school supplies, anyway.”

Ren’s mother smiled, “That’s very kind of you,” and said, “but I would like to do them, myself. Besides, I like to talk with the store owners; they usually give me a discount. You two enjoy yourselves. I’m sure Ren would love to show you the sights.” 

Makoto smiled and went back to eating. Ren was happy to see the two of them get along so well.    
When they had finished eating, everyone helped clean the dishes and silverware and put everything away. Ren and Makoto then grabbed their coats and headed into town to do some shopping together. The two grabbed some tofu from Marukyu, then headed to the floodplain to eat under the gazebo.

Makoto really liked the countryside and the quiet that Inaba had to offer. It was a welcome change of pace from the hustle and bustle of life in Tokyo. She enjoyed her tofu as she looked at how green and lush everything was. After a while, Makoto looked over to Ren and noticed he had barely touched his meal.

“Are you okay?” she asked, concerned.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m fine,” Ren said, fiddling with his tofu.

Makoto put her container down and looked at him, saying, “Something’s bothering you, I can tell. What’s wrong?”

Ren looked down at the ground. He was struggling to find the words he wanted.

“You can tell me anything,” Makoto said, rubbing his back. “That’s why I’m here.”

Ren took a deep breath, “W-well,” he said, uneasily. “H-how were things when… you lost your dad?”

Makoto was a bit shocked to hear him ask such a question. Her father’s passing was something that she never really spoke to anyone about, other than Sae. She knew that Ren wouldn’t bring it up if he didn’t have a reason to, though. 

She thought about it for a moment, then said to him, “Well, it was tough for Sis and me. I grew up not really knowing my mom, since she died when I was young, so Dad and Sis were all I had. He and I were really close. I loved him so much, I remember I would always hug him before he went off to work and he would call me his “little partner”. I wanted to be just like him and stop all of the bad guys.” She looked down and folded her arms before continuing. “When we lost him, Sis and I felt alone, but she did so much to help. Even though she was finishing university at that point, she took on another job on top of the one she already had, her internship at the police station, and school, just to help make ends meet. She did a lot to make things as normal as possible.”

Ren moved over and started rubbing his hand along her arm.

She continued, “I was devastated. I didn’t speak to anyone because I was too sad. That’s when I started focusing entirely on my studies and probably where I started to gain the reputation that would become the reason why people saw me as the “uptight student council president”. I didn’t have many friends other than Eiko, which is why I asked you to help me when she was struggling; I didn’t want to lose the only friend I had left.” Makoto wiped away a tear from her eye, then smiled. “Then, I realized you had become my friend, too, and I felt so much happier.” She laughed, nuzzled into him, then said, “When you dropped that corny “study partners” line, I’ll admit I was shocked, because I didn’t think anyone would like me, let alone someone who I had basically forced to be my fake boyfriend. I was so happy. It was a feeling I hadn’t felt in a long time; the feeling that someone loved me for who I was.” Makoto sprung up and shook her head. “Sorry. I rambled on there.”

Ren smiled and hugged her, saying, “No. That was perfect.” He released himself from her and looked at her with a gentle smile on his face. She smiled back and hugged him again.

“To be honest,” he said, “I felt the same way. I know the circumstances were different, but I felt alone after hearing about my dad. I felt scared and alone,” he said, squeezing her a bit more. “When I saw you at my house yesterday, I felt so happy, like I had seen you for the first time after years of being apart. I felt loved again.” 

Makoto looked up at Ren and saw tears starting to run down his face. She kissed his cheek and wiped his tears away.

“I’m glad I could help,” she said. “Remember, we’re equals. I know that you would do the same thing for me if I needed you.” 

The two sat there for a while, comforting one another before they packed up and headed back for Ren’s house. As they walked through the door, Ren’s mom greeted them. She gestured for them to join her on the couch.   
“So, I was doing some thinking,” she said with a delicate tone. “I think it would be best if we talked about what happened.” 

Ren’s face went blank. He felt like panicking, but Makoto quickly grabbed his hand and squeezed it to let him know she was there. He looked at her, then back to his mother and nodded.

“I’d like for Makoto to be there, as well,” he said.

His mother nodded, “Of course,” she said. “I wouldn’t want you to feel scared or anxious.”

Ren smiled then turned to Makoto, who nodded and smiled, which helped him feel more secure.

“Well, then. I’ll prepare dinner while you two take care of your business upstairs,” Ren’s mom said.

The two thanked her and made their way upstairs, to his room. Makoto immediately sat down with Ren on his bed and hugged him tightly.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be there with you tomorrow,” she said.

Ren hugged her and said, “Thank you, Mako. I love you.”

Makoto smiled and said, “I love you, too, Ren. I always will.”

The two sat there for a while, before going down to set up for dinner. When dinner was over, the three of them took care of the dishes before saying goodnight and heading off to bed. Ren sat on the side of his bed, his hands folded in his lap, when Makoto came up behind him, wearing one of his shirts, and hugged him from behind. Ren grabbed her hand and gave her a quick kiss.

“I can’t thank you enough,” he said, gripping her hand with his own, interlocking their fingers.

“You don’t need to. I love you; that’s why I’m here,” she replied, looking over his shoulder and resting her head.

The two then got under the comforter, turned out the light, then went to sleep, Makoto wrapping her arms around Ren. Usually he liked being the big spoon, but having Makoto holding him like that was calming and it made him feel safe. 

He kissed her hand, saying, “Goodnight, my Queen.”

Makoto smiled and said, “Goodnight, my Joker.”

As the two fell asleep, Ren knew that he would be able to see through what he was going through, as long as he had Makoto there with him.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Ren woke up to find Makoto’s arm still around him. He kissed her hand, then quietly got up to take a shower before making breakfast. As he made his way down the stairs, he met his mother. He looked at her, and gave her a hug.

“I love you, Mom,” he said.

“I love you, too, sweetie,” she replied.   
She didn’t want to bring up the topic of Ren’s father until later; she knew he wasn’t ready to talk about such a subject yet. As always, Ren took out the coffee press and made a cup for him and his mother. She sat at the table to read the morning paper while sipping her coffee, smiling at how flavorful it was. As Makoto made her way down the stairs, Ren walked over to her, gave her a kiss, and handed her her coffee before returning to finish making their breakfast.

After placing everyone’s plates in front of them, he sat down and ate. He looked around at his mother and Makoto, who were smiling as they ate. Seeing them happy made him smile, as if he had nothing to worry about. He smiled and continued to eat, periodically sneaking a glance at the two women at either side of the table; seeing them smile made him happy.

When they had finished, they all pitched in and cleaned up, before going their separate ways for the day. Ren and Makoto grabbed their coats and made their way into town. They stopped at the shops where they surprised each other by buying a gift for the other. Ren bought Makoto a new, handmade messenger bag, since her current one was starting to fall apart. She smiled and thanked him before she handed him a new laptop case and a matching leather phone case; both black leather with red stitching. Ren smiled and hugged her before the two made their way to Junes for lunch, their hands interlocked on the way. Ren smiled as the familiar faces around him started to notice the two walking together. He noticed that she was becoming anxious from all the staring, so he kissed her head to reassure her that things were alright. She smiled and leaned into his arm as they made their way to Junes. The two enjoyed their meals, then decided to head back to the floodplain to relax before heading home for the day.

When they got to the floodplain, the two sat on a bench by the lake and watched the sun set.

“This is amazing,” Makoto said, sitting next to her boyfriend, her arm around him.

“Yeah, it is,” Ren said, pulling her closer to him. 

“Hey,” she said, pulling away. “About tonight, are you sure you want to do it?”

Ren was taken aback; he didn’t know what to say. His eyes quickly started darting around, looking for a distraction.

“I-I’m sorry, I don’t know what that was,” Makoto said, sensing how uneasy he felt, and hugged him.

“No, it’s alright. I guess I kinda pulled you into this,” he replied.

“Don’t worry about that,” Makoto said. “I want to be here. I love you, Ren.” She hugged him tighter.

Ren pulled her in and hugged her tightly, while running his hand through her hair. As much as it felt nice to her, it was almost therapeutic to Ren to feel her soft, brown hair through his hands. The two sat and enjoyed the view before deciding to return home a bit early. They grabbed their belongings and made their way back to Ren’s house. 

When they got back, the two layed down on the couch, a bit tired, and ended up falling asleep in each other’s arms. When Ren awoke, it was to the smell of curry soup, made by his mom. She noticed the two napping on the couch and didn’t want to wake them, so she decided to make dinner. It was Ren’s favorite as a child, and she always made it when he was feeling sick or unwell. The smell made him smile and recall all those days. He looked down to Makoto, who was still laying on his chest, but looking up at him. He kissed her head before slowly getting up to help his mother. She got up to help, as well, after feeling him get up. The three ate together and talked about the day, while trying to avoid the topic of Ren’s father until later. When they had finished dinner, the three cleaned up and put everything away.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Ren’s mother asked him as he walked into the living room.

“I’m sure,” Ren replied. “I just need a moment, if that’s ok.” 

She nodded and hugged him before Ren went up the stairs and into his room. She smiled at Makoto, before she followed him upstairs. His mother appreciated how much Makoto loved him. Makoto followed Ren up to his room and the two sat on his bed.

“Are you going to be okay?” she asked, her arm around his back.

“I-I think so,” he replied, his breathing getting a bit heavier. He looked down to the floor.

“Hey,” she said, pulling his face up to look at hers. “I’ll be right there with you. If you need to stop, just say something. It’s not easy what you’re going through; this is just a step to help you see past this.” She pulled him into her and hugged him. He smiled; he felt a lot better knowing he didn’t have to do this alone.

After a while, they heard Ren’s mom’s voice from downstairs.

“Are you two ready?” she asked.

Ren looked at Makoto, took a deep breath, and nodded. She nodded back, then the two got up. They walked downstairs, their hands interlocked, and sat on the couch together, Ren’s mom across from them.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” she asked. “We don’t have to do this now, if you don’t want to.”  
“I’m sure,” he said, taking a deep breath. “I want to get this over with.” 

“Well, then, alright. Let me know if I need to stop, alright?” she said. Ren nodded before his mother started recalling the events leading up to her husband leaving.

“The day after you left for Tokyo, your father started taking down anything you had left here, as if you weren’t returning. I tried to get him to stop, even going as far as standing in front of your door, so he wouldn’t go in, but he just moved me out of the way.”

“Did he hurt you at all?” Ren interrupted, a look of concern on his face.

“No, he didn’t hurt me,” she replied, smiling at hearing his concern. Ren took a sigh of relief.

“It started with him having a couple bottles of sake,” she continued, “so he wasn’t in the right state of mind. He started going off about how nobody could just mind their business, but I knew what he was referring to.” Ren looked to Makoto, unsure of if he wanted to continue, but she squeezed his hand, to let him know she was there for him, which made him feel a bit stronger. “He started calling you a brat and a criminal while he was tearing your posters down,” his mother continued, her hands folded in front of her. “I told him that you’re not either of those things and that I didn’t want to hear him talk about you like that. He got really angry and threatened me.” Ren sat up after hearing that, concerned. “But I knew he wouldn’t do anything, because he’s not that kind of person, even when he’s had too much to drink, so I stood by what I said and told him to stop talking about you like that. By that point, he had already grabbed his suitcase and started packing his things. I tried to get him to stop, but he kept ignoring me. He told me that it was either him or you, and zipped up the suitcase when I didn’t respond immediately. He stormed by me and went out the door. He took the truck and sped off, without a goodbye or anything. I guess part of me kept thinking that he was going to come back after a while. I stayed up for a few hours, waiting for him to return, but... he didn’t.”

Ren sat there, on the verge of tears. Makoto pulled him to her and rubbed his back. It was a lot for him to process. His mother moved beside him to comfort him. He shifted from Makoto’s shoulder to hold his mom, and started crying. Makoto got up to get a glass of water for him and placed it on the coffee table, before returning to rubbing his back. 

“I-I love you, Mom,” he said, squeezing her tightly. She ran her hand through his black, frizzy hair.

“I love you, too, Ren,” she said.

Makoto tapped gently on his shoulder and handed him the glass for him to drink from. He took a moment, then looked at his mother, before hugging her again.

“I’m so sorry Mom,” he said, still struggling to find an easy breath.

“Don’t worry about me, honey,” she replied. “I’m happy with us here, right now.” Makoto leaned her head on Ren’s back and wrapped her arms around his waist, hoping to help him calm down. He felt her head on his back, and started to cry even more. He felt so vulnerable, but it was ok, he thought, as long as he had the two of them to hold him. After a moment, Ren separated from his mother, while Makoto continued to hold him from behind, now resting her head on his shoulder.

“Will you be alright, Ren?” his mother asked.

“I-I think so,” he said, rubbing his eyes and sniffling. Makoto kissed her boyfriend’s cheek and helped wipe away his tears, which made him smile a bit.

“You’re really lucky to have such an amazing young woman to support you, Ren,” Ren’s mother said.

Ren smiled. “Y-yeah, I am.” He leaned back and kissed Makoto’s cheek.

“I’m going to bed, dear,” his mother said. “Be sure to turn the lights off before you head upstairs, too. If you need anything, let me know, honey. Goodnight.” She smiled and kissed Ren’s head before walking upstairs to her room.

Ren and Makoto spent a while on the couch. She held him close to her and comforted him as he continued to cry a little.

“Th-thank you, Mako,” he said, catching his breath.

Makoto continued to hold him, alternating between rubbing his back and running her hand through his hair. He kept holding her until he was all out of tears to cry. Even then, Makoto continued to hold him, even going as far as squeezing him tighter. He smiled at how much she loved him. He felt the same way, after all, and would do anything for her. 

“Are you ready for bed?” he asked.

“Only if you are,” she replied. “I’m more than happy being here, if that’s what you want.”

“I’m ready,” he said, sniffling. “I just want this day to end. Plus, we can always cuddle upstairs.”

Makoto smiled at him. He was obviously feeling a bit better, saying something like that. 

They turned off the lights, then headed off to his room and went to sleep, again, Makoto being the one to wrap her arms around Ren. It had been a long day for him, but it was hopefully going to be the longest day. Now that he was finally able to confront this obstacle, he was hoping to be able to work on how he would work past it. He knew he didn’t have to do it alone, which made it easier for him; he had his mother, who had already gone through the heartbreak he was feeling, and his girlfriend, whom he loved and knew loved him. He held her right hand before he fell asleep and smiled as he felt the rugged, black ring he gave her just days before against his skin. He was immediately reminded of their promise and smiled; he knew that she meant it as much as he did. He closed his eyes and held that same hand as he drifted off to sleep. The last couple of days were some of the most difficult days he’s experienced, maybe even more difficult than any of the days he’d experienced in Tokyo. With his mother’s support and Makoto by his side, though, he felt like he had all the strength he needed to face whatever the future may hold.


	5. Chapter 5

When Ren woke up, he was still wrapped up in Makoto’s arms. The familiar feeling was enough to keep him for a little while more. He felt her slowly wiggle herself awake, which was accompanied with a smile on her part. He turned over to meet her gaze and placed a kiss on her lips. She smiled and kissed him back.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Mmm, morning,” she replied, rubbing her eyes. “How’re you feeling?” she asked

“I feel fine,” he said. I’m just glad last night is over.”   
Makoto smiled, then hugged him. “I’m glad,” she said.

When the two had realized the time, they quickly realized that they had slept in late. They quickly got dressed then went downstairs to find Ren’s mom not there, as she usually was. Instead, there was a note on the table from her. Makoto picked it up and brought it over to Ren so they could read it together. It read,

_Ren, I want to let you know that I love you very much. You’re everything a mother could ask for in a son. I am so proud of you for what you did last year, sticking up for that woman. You’ve become a very brave and strong young man, and I couldn’t be more proud of you. I’ve arranged for you and Makoto to visit the hot springs at the Amagi Inn this afternoon. You two should take the time to relax and spend some time together, without worrying about anything. If you need me, I will be in town. Take care of yourselves and I'll see you two tonight. I love you, Ren._

_-Mom_

Ren smiled. His mother was the best mother in the world. Makoto hugged him as he held the letter in his hand, trying not to tear up at how happy he felt. The feeling of love from his mother, on top of his girlfriend’s arms around him really cemented how much he was loved. He looked over to Makoto and kissed her cheek before the two grabbed their coats and made their way into town. They stopped at a coffee shop before making their way to the inn.

“Hmm, not bad,” Makoto said after taking a sip. “Still not as good as yours.”

Ren smiled and blushed a little before kissing her. “Huh,” he said.

“What? Is something wrong?” she asked.

“No,” he replied. “I didn’t think you’d like Crystal Mountain.”

Makoto looked at him and smiled, “Well," she said, matter of factly, "I guess you still have a lot to learn about me.” Ren smiled back, locked his arm around hers, then the two made their way to the inn.

When they finally got to the inn, they walked in and were met by the owner, who was wearing a pink kimono.   
“Welcome to the Amagi Inn,” she said. “Do you two have a room booked?”

“Actually,” Ren said. “We were told we had a reservation for the hot springs?”

“Ahh, of course,” the woman said. “You must be Amamiya-san’s son, and his girlfriend. Please, follow me.”

Ren looked at Makoto with a smile, squeezed her closer to him, and the couple followed her to the hot springs.

“Here you are,” the owner said. “This spring is coed, so you both can feel free to go in when you’re ready. Please, refrain from being too _intimate_ while in the springs. We hope you enjoy your time.” With that, the woman bowed and left the couple to their time.

“So much for that idea,” Ren said, teasingly.

Makoto blushed and playfully shoved him. “Knock it off,” she said, smiling.  
The two quickly rinsed off in their own locker rooms, before making their way into the springs. When Ren made his way into the springs, Makoto had already gotten in. He slowly made his way behind her, before wrapping his arms around her bare shoulders.

“Ren!” she said, shocked. “Knock it off. We’re going to get in trouble.”

“Don’t worry,” Ren said, smiling. “I’m not going to do anything. I just wanted to hug you.”

Makoto stood there, a bit uncomfortable, but she relaxed as she felt her boyfriend rest his head on her shoulder. When he released her from his embrace, she led him to the nearest wall, then pulled him to her side. She held him close, without the risk of them being found in a compromising position.

“How do you feel?” Ren asked her, his arm around her back.

“Happy,” she said, smiling and nuzzling into his chest.

“I’m glad,” he replied, resting his head on hers.

The combination of the hot steam and Makoto’s embrace was the most therapeutic feeling in the world. The two alternated washing each other’s back and even slashing each other a bit. When their time had expired, Ren and Makoto got out and rinsed off in the locker rooms, before changing back into their clothes. As Ren got changed, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring Makoto had given him earlier that week. He smiled as he saw the cartoon bear around the band, then Makoto’s name on the inside. He slipped it on his finger, then closed the locker before making his way out to the hallway. He met Makoto outside, then the couple walked back to the entrance.

“We hope you enjoyed your time in the springs,” the owner said, with a smile. “Please, come again.” The couple thanked her, then started to walk back into town.

“That was great,” Ren said, smiling at Makoto. “Thanks for coming with me.”

“I wouldn’t want to waste an opportunity to be with you like that,” she said, smiling coyly.

Ren was caught a bit off guard, because that was _not_ something he expected to hear her say. Makoto reveled at the fact that she had gotten him flustered. She giggled and reached up to place a kiss on his cheek.

“Do you want to go back to the floodplain?” she asked.

“I have a better idea,” Ren said, smiling. “Follow me.”

Makoto quickly grabbed his arm and walked with him. Ren led her to a hill overlooking Inaba.

“Wow,” Makoto said, astonished. “The view is amazing!”

“Yeah,” Ren said, pulling her into him. “It is, but nothing compares to you.”

Makoto blushed. “How do you always stay so calm when you say that kind of stuff?” she asked.

“Because I mean it.” he replied. “You’re more beautiful than any sunset, sunrise, or anything else.”

He leaned in and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. It was long, deep, and full of pure love. The two sat on the hill and watched the sunset, holding one another and taking in the scenery. When the sun had gone down, the two made their way down the hill and walked to Ren’s house.

When they walked in, Ren’s mother was sitting on the couch in the living room.

“Welcome home,” she said before hurrying to see them. She wrapped the two of them in a big hug. Makoto was surprised, to say the least, but she welcomed the embrace.

“I’m glad to see you two. Did you enjoy your time at the springs?”

“It was great,” Ren said. “Thank you, Mom.” He hugged his mother and smiled.

“Come on,” she said. “I already ordered dinner.”

The three of them walked into the living room and sat around the table, chatting about the day.

“Oh, by the way,” Ren’s mother said. “I was thinking, and I think we should do something together tomorrow. I’m sure Makoto has to go back to school soon, so I’d hate to miss the opportunity to get to know her, myself.”

“That would be wonderful,” Makoto replied, smiling as she ate.

When they had finished eating, they cleaned up in the kitchen then sat back in the living room to relax a bit with some tea.

“So, what would you like to do tomorrow, Amamiya-san?” Makoto asked.

“Well,” Ren’s mother replied. “I was thinking we could go to Okina City. There’s a nice little café there that has a variety of tea and coffee to try. There’s also a high end clothes store there, as well.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” Makoto said. “I can’t wait.”

Makoto and Ren’s mom exchanged smiles before returning to sipping their tea. Ren felt happy seeing the two getting along so well. When the three had finished their tea, Ren took the cups and washed them before putting them away.

After saying goodnight, the three made their way upstairs and to their rooms. Makoto waited for Ren on the bed. When he walked in from the bathroom, she smiled and reached out, as if she was reaching for a stuffed animal. Ren smiled and walked to the bed, sat next to her, and shifted her to sit between his stretched out legs. She looked back at him and held his face in her hand. His smile and cool, grey eyes were calming to her. She leaned back and kissed him before placing her head just enough to the side for him to place his head on her shoulder. After a while of cuddling, Makoto moved next to him, but allowed him to keep holding her. Ren leaned up and turned off the light.

“Goodnight, Mako,” he said. “I love you.” he squeezed her a bit and smiled.

“I love you, too, Ren,” she said, with a smile.

As he fell asleep, he started thinking of tomorrow and how excited he was to spend the day with the two women he loved the most in the world.


	6. Chapter 6

Ren woke up early the next morning, eager to get ready for the day ahead. When he awoke, his arm was still around Makoto, who was still sleeping soundly next to him. He slowly lifted himself up and kissed her cheek before carefully getting out of bed to take a shower and get ready for the day. As he walked towards the bathroom, he ran into his mother in the hallway. He hugged her and said good morning before she made her way downstairs and Ren went into the bathroom. After a nice, warm shower to start the day, Ren dried off and walked out of the bathroom, his hair still a bit wet and slicked back. Makoto walked to the bathroom, but froze when she saw her boyfriend coming out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel around his waist and his hair not in it’s usual, frizzy state. After a quick hug, she looked back at Ren as he walked into his bedroom. Sure, it was far from the first time that she’d seen him shirtless, but something about the fact he only had a towel on made it  _ different _ , not that she would complain.

After she finished her own shower, she got dressed and made her way downstairs to join Ren and his mother for breakfast before their big day together. Ren made Makoto her coffee before getting back to preparing breakfast. He placed the food on the table and joined the two women at the table. His mother pulled out the list of stores in Okina city. 

“So, Ren told me you like action movies, is that right?” she asked.

“O-oh, u-um,” Makoto said, slightly embarrassed. She didn’t like to talk about action movies, because, despite Ren helping her get over most of her fears of her image, she still was embarrassed to bring up her fascination with action films. “Yeah, I-I guess,” she said, after a moment.

“That’s great,” Ren’s mother said, “because there’s a new showing of a movie in the Trial of the Dragon series. Would you like to go see it?”

“Oh, sure,” Makoto answered. “O-only if you don’t mind seeing it, too.”

Ren’s mother responded, “Of course not. I used to train in martial arts when I was younger. Those movies are pretty interesting.”

Makoto’s face lit up; she hadn’t expected to hear that, but she was so happy that the two of them had a common interest. Meanwhile, Ren smiled at seeing the two of them get along so well.

“After the movie,” Ren’s mother said, “we can stop by the shops around the theater. There’s a clothes store, a café, and a bookstore.”

“Ooh, that would be great for me to pick up some things before I start my first semester in university!” Makoto said, eager to get going.

After they finished their breakfast and washed the dishes, they grabbed their coats and made their way to Okina City.

When they got there, the three went to the ticket booth to get their tickets for the movie. During the movie, Ren noticed Makoto lean further and further forward in her seat as the action on the screen got more and more intense. It reminded him of the night during the summer when Makoto had just joined the team, but still texted him close to midnight to ask him to see a movie with her. Ren thought it was so adorable to see her so immersed in something. When the action calmed down, she looked over to Ren and instinctively shook her head in embarrassment. Ren smiled and put his arm around her to pull her back into her seat and closer to him. 

After the movie, Ren was the first to walk out, while his mother and Makoto talked about the movie, all their favorite parts, and the techniques used on the screen. Ren smiled and waited for them to catch up so they could head to the cafe for some tea and a light lunch. Again, Makoto and Ren’s mother talked about different scenes from the movie, while Ren looked at the coffee menu to carefully pick out which one to choose. The two women decided on some tea, while Ren ordered a sampling tray to try all the different, unfamiliar flavors. After a year of staying at Leblanc, he had become a connoisseur of sorts when it came to coffee, and he was always looking for new flavors to try.

After a while, Ren’s mother got up from the table. She and Makoto decided to go to the nearby shops to help her get ready for her first year in university. Ren nodded and watched as the two left the cafe, leaving him to jot down his analyses of each flavor of coffee.

Ren’s mother brought Makoto to Croco Fur, a local clothes chain that had locations around the city. She turned to Makoto.

“So,” she said, “You’re going to university, right?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Makoto said, nodding her head. “I want to study law and become a police commissioner.”

“Ooh, very nice,” Ren’s mother responded. “They need more strong women like you to keep those men in line,” she said, with a laugh.

“Thank you, Amamiya-san,” Makoto said. “That’s very kind of you.”

“I do think you might benefit from some new clothes,” the older woman said. “Not to say you don’t already have nice clothes, but they say that an outfit can make someone more confident, especially in a new environment.”

“Oh,” Makoto said. “Okay, then. Let’s look for something.”

The two looked around the store and Ren’s mother brought to Makoto’s attention a set of black skinny jeans, as well as a matching leather crop top jacket.

“Hmm,” Makoto said from the changing room, looking in the mirror. “I really like it, but I’m not so sure if I like how… breezy it is.” Makoto kept turning around to look at the outfit, but she couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable at how her stomach was showing under the leather top, as well as how constricted her chest felt with the top zipped up.

“Is there a shirt out there that might work?” Makoto asked.

“Hmm,” Ren’s mother said. “Let me look.”

She looked around for a minute, before finding a white top that she handed through the changing room door to Makoto, who put it on.

“Come on out,” Ren’s mother called out to Makoto. “Let’s see what it looks like.”

Makoto opened the door and came out of the dressing room. She felt a bit self conscious at how tight the jeans felt and looked, but some part of her really liked it.

“You look fantastic!” the older woman said. “Everyone will think twice before messing with you now,” she laughed.

“Are you sure?” Makoto asked. “It’s not too… revealing?”

“Not at all,” Ren’s mother responded. “Trust me, a young woman like yourself should feel empowered by her looks.”

Makoto’s face grew red as she smiled. “Thank you so much Amamiya-san,” she said. “You’re too kind.”

Ren’s mother smiled. “You can call me Mom, if you’d like,” she said.

“O-oh,” Makoto said, surprised. “A-a-are you sure?”

Ren’s mother smiled. “Of course, I’m sure,” she said. “After seeing how much you and Ren love each other and how happy you are together, you’re practically family, for all I’m concerned. Ren really is lucky to have found you.”

Makoto smiled and started to tear up a little. “Thank you, m-mom,” she said.

After not knowing her own mother when she was a child, being able to say those words meant so much to her . The two shared a hug before Makoto changed back into her own outfit and bought the clothes.

As the two walked out of the store, chatting, they ran into Ren, who had just finished his coffee research.

“How’s shopping going?” he asked. 

“It’s going very well, dear,” his mother said. “We’re going to be heading to the bookstore next. Care to join us?”

Ren nodded. The three of them walked to the bookstore located in the station. Although it was fairly small, there was a surprising variety of books for them to choose from. Makoto looked through the collection of criminal investigation books for something to get her started for school, while Ren looked through the fiction section. After a while, the two found their way together, where the two sections met, and found two copies of the same book, which featured a man with a monocle and top hat, looking mischievously at the reader. After reading the synopsis on the back, the two looked at each other and smiled. That’s when Ren came up with an idea.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Ren asked.

“And what is that, exactly?” Makoto asked back.

“Well,” he said, nervously, “since you’re going to be going away for school, maybe we could each read a bit and have a small book club, just the two of us, over a video call.”   
Makoto smiled at the idea. “I’d like that a lot,” she said.

Makoto stood there for a moment, her face growing a bit red as they stood there, staring at each other, before sharing a quick kiss and a hug. The young couple then continued to look around for a while more, adding more to their reading list for their private book club as well as helping each other find their own reading materials for school. After they finished, the three met up outside the store before deciding to head back to town. As they were walking towards their platform, Makoto stopped to see the police from the nearby station help a little girl who had fallen down off her bike. The two officers knelt down to help the girl clean herself up and find her mother, who came running out when she heard her daughter’s cries. She hugged the girl and thanked the officers for helping, before picking her up and carrying her with her into the store. Ren looked at Makoto as she watched the scene as it happened and smiled. Makoto turned to him, her own smile growing on her face as she reached for his hand. The three continued to the station and took their train into Inaba, stopping in town when they got back to some tofu from Marukyu. When they got home, the three enjoyed their food before cleaning up and getting ready for bed. 

Makoto went up to Ren’s room after saying goodnight to his mother. Ren soon followed suit, and walked in on Makoto writing in a journal at his desk.

“Whatcha writing?” he asked as he knelt beside her.

“Oh,” Makoto said, surprised. “Well, whenever I see something positive, I like to write it down so I remember it when I’m feeling upset.” She put her pen down and faced Ren. “When I saw those officers in Okina City help that little girl near the station, it reminded me of why I want to become a police commissioner. There needs to be more cops like those two; cops who are there to help the people who need it the most.”

Ren smiled as she continued to write. When he first heard of Makoto’s dream to become a police commissioner, he was a bit shocked and worried for her. Even after his own ordeal with the police However, he was still willing to support her in her dream, no matter what, because he wants nothing more than to see her happy and he’d gladly stand by her side to help her see her dreams through. Her smile as she recalled that seemingly small event in the day seemed to light up the room. Ren reached around her shoulders and hugged her before kissing her cheek. When she had finished writing, Makoto got up from the desk and got ready for bed. As she crawled into bed with Ren, the two sat up and gave each other a goodnight kiss before laying back down and cuddling as they drifted off to sleep.

As he drifted off to sleep, he whispered a soft goodnight into her ear. Makoto lightly groaned a goodnight to him as she fell asleep.

Tomorrow would probably be the last day Makoto would be able to stay with them before needing to go to university, which Ren knew. He wanted to make the most of every moment he had left with her. He nuzzled himself onto her top shoulder with his arm around her and pulled her towards him tightly, hoping she wouldn’t have to go the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took a while to come out. Work really picked up around the holidays. The next chapter will probably be the final chapter in this series. As much as I have enjoyed working on it, I think it's time to start getting ready to play Strikers and gather more writing material from it. Thank you so much for reading this. It was my first venture into writing fanfiction, so I know it's not perfect, but I'm looking forward to writing more and increasing my skills!

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first attempt at writing fanfiction. Please be kind and excuse any ooc behavior.  
> Thanks for reading.  
> S/O to my man Ric for pre-reading these and helping me out with this project. Thanks a lot, man!


End file.
